11 July 2012

TWO, talking with Monica Patel

Combining the comfort of a caftan and the elegance of her hand picked textiles Monica's TWO designs are a pure Joy!

Monica is a perfect model for her own designs-she's beautiful, So it's a natural fit.
I had a chance to put some questions to Monica recently-

Do you live near your studio?

I do live about a mile away from my studio and I bike through the park everyday to work when weather permits.It
is one of my most cherished moments. I used to be a mad biker as a kid
and I love that I can still do it in NY. It's refreshing.

How do
you balance two and motherhood?

Balancing the kids. Not an easy thing - I break from work to take my son to school and I just have to know my limits.I can't promise more than I can achieve in one day. Sometimes I have to wash all the fabric and iron.Not a good thing to do with toddlers around...so it's massive scheduling around the kids..But it's a labor of love so it gets done.

How did your working for Prada and at Barneys influence two?

In
so many ways, but mostly I learned I still love the same types of
things even twenty years later..and have to be true to myself (or my
style)

What influences you most in creating your two collections?

Wearability,
comfort, ease ..just reality. being able to actually wear it and have a
kid slobber on it and wash it and wear it again fifty times more.I try to make pieces that will last with good cottons and workmanship.

Tell me a bit about what you look for when selecting fabrics?

I
have always loved sarees but felt the colors you generally find easily
in India are very different than what I would want to wear..

I wanted to have a fresh approach to the textiles and it really starts with the colors and textures.

Some I fall in love with and others sometimes surprise me on how wearable they are.

Somehow I find there's a person that is made for each one..

Besides the obvious---comfort- why do you think women today are so drawn to the caftan style?

I love the way it drapes and I think if you use the right materials that feel good on, it's luxurious.

combine that with comfort and you have a perfect combo.

What piece do You wear the most?

I wear my ekani top and my v dress everyday.

I just came up with a short tunic that I also love.

Whose Style do you admire most at the moment?

This question has taken me weeks to answer. I am not sure I can say one specific person.

I love to stare at everyone and just observe how they put things together.

What current Lady in the press would you love to see in a two caftan?

There are so many people young and old !

I saw Padma Laksmi the other day and felt she would look great in one.

How right you are-perfect for her!

I love the freshness of TWO's pieces. Are they for the "young" only? How can older women wear your designs?

not at all.I
do a variety of fabric from colorful to neutrals. Usually the neutrals
and whites are just so elegant on and I can see that lasting forever for
any age.

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My book HOW THEY DECORATED, for Rizzoli, was published in April of 2017. I have been an interior designer for over 30 years & have an abiding passion for the original, & history. Little Augury was born on New Year's Eve 2008. It began as a way of continuing a conversation with a beloved mentor & the promise to keep just a bit of his wit & wisdom alive by sharing it whenever possible. Little Augury focuses on interior design, art, literature, fashion & social history with an eye, always looking back to the past, in hope of understanding what is authentic & what will endure & what connects us to our environment. Always listening for the footstep on the old stair-the sound of lives that walked that way.